Almost everyone wears shoes, and many varieties and types of shoes are well known. The present invention relates generally to a certain type of shoe, known as an open-toe or peep toe shoe. As the name suggests, in an open-toe shoe, part of the vamp section of the shoe (which, in turn, is part of the upper section of the shoe) is cut away to expose the toes of the wearer. In an open-toe shoe, which is perhaps most popular with women and girls, the toes of the wearer are exposed through the vamp, but rest upon an extended part of the inlay (which, in turn, is secured to the insole.)
While open-toe shoes are comfortable and popular in warm weather, the toes' exposure to the elements makes them an unpopular choice in winter and in rainy or cold weather. In any area of the world where winters are cold, rainy or snowy, many owners of open-toe shoes simply store them away for the season, or carry them in totes to their indoor destination. In short, bad weather tends to render open-toe shoes impractical for at least part of the year.
Another problem with open-toe shoes is experienced by many women, and some men, who enjoy pedicures. Pedicures almost always culminate in the application of paint or polish, which usually takes time to dry. Walking in open-toe shoes after receiving a pedicure exposes the polish/paint to damage such as smearing, streaking or scratching.
The pedicure problem associated with open-toe shoes has been noticed by Melissa Condie of St. Louis, Mo. She purports to solve the problem with footwear for use during or after a pedicure and a method of using the same, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,421,807 and U.S. Pat. No. 7,802,381. While Ms. Condie's patented invention arguably solves the problem toe nails not contacting the upper portion of the shoe after a pedicure, the resulting shape of the shoe was made concave to achieve this goal, which may not be preferred by all wearers. Also, the toe cover in this patented invention rests atop the shoe, with fastening means on the side of the cover. The cover does not form a seal under the sole, which means that water and the like can seep into the shoe between the cover and the sides of the shoe.
Therefore, there has been a long-felt need for a shoe with a removable magnetic toe cap which converts an open toe shoe into a closed toe shoe and, while in place, seals the toe section of the shoe from the elements.